Into the Eye of the Storm
by HvonM
Summary: With XANA deactivated and Aelita materialized, the members of the gang go their separate ways. Now, years later, the evil computer reemerges in the hands of an international crime ring, provoking a storm that is about to go out of control...
1. Just Another Christmas

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko. It is the property of Moonscoop/Antefilms. Please do not sue me.

* * *

"INTO THE EYE OF THE STORM"

Chapter 1: Just Another Christmas

Point of View: Ulrich

I throw on a thick coat over my green shirt. The times may have changed a lot, but I have not. As I glance at my computer desk I see a photograph - it is an old picture of me from junior high, a picture of me and my friends, Odd, Jeremie, and Yumi. Jeremie and I were sitting on the bench in the school courtyard, Yumi had her arms around us, and Odd was sitting on the ground with Kiwi. It certainly has been a long time, hasn't it?

With Aelita materialized and XANA deactivated, we had been able to live normal lives, that is, until we graduated from high school and went off on our own ways. Jeremie and Aelita went off to some technology school, eventually ending up at the Ecole Polytechnique. Yumi, being the good student she always was, attended the Sorbonne. Odd got an apprenticeship and is now in business. And myself, I went back to Germany to attend university, leaving my friends, my memories, and Yumi back in France. Yumi and I had been together for much of high school, but after I got rejected from the Sorbonne, my parents pressured me to attend a university in Germany. When I couldn't find a suitable alternative in France, Yumi and I had to accept that fact that we weren't going to see each other much anymore. We tried to stay in touch, and we would get together during our vacations from school, but that all changed after I graduated and found a job. With my 'irregular' work hours, we communicated mostly through letters, and a few months ago, I stopped hearing from her. I came to the conclusion that she had found someone else to be with, and that she did not want to hurt my feelings too much by dumping me outright. At any rate, I have not had another girlfriend since Yumi, and I guess I'm going to need to get over my blind loyalty to her someday. Wherever she is, I just hope she's happy...

Heaving a deep sigh, I turn to the window. It is almost Christmas time. Outside my window, the baroque architecture of Munich stands illuminated by the street lamps, and light snow wafts through the air, covering the ground as the sky grows dark. I finish buttoning up my coat, and after slipping on a pair of white sneakers and grabbing my keys, I leave my apartment for the parking garage, where my black Audi A6 sits. My mind eases with the familiar sound of the door unlocking, and the steady rhythm of the engine starting. Trying to force my memories from my mind, I pull out of my apartment complex.

It is around eight o'clock p.m. by the time I get to work. I pull up to an imposing gate - it is engraved with the image of a tall, dignified eagle, and next to it is a sign with a single line of writing: Bundesnachrichtendienst. To all my friends outside of work, I work for Deutsche Bank, and at work, well, I am an officer in the German intelligence agency. The concrete gate opens, and I pull into the compound. Inside, the guard on duty doffs his cap in acknowledgment as I park my car and get out. The chilly air greets me, and after a short walk, I enter my building, the Operations Bureau...

The interior of the building is clean and modern-looking. The black marble floor, the white walls, and the lofty ceiling emanate an imposing air.

"Good evening, Ulrich," greets the guard at the front desk. His voice echoes through the vast expanses of the lobby. "Something recently came in the mail for you."

"Is that so, Otto? Business or personal?" My interest was piqued.

"From the look of it, I would have to say...personal."

I raise my eyebrows. Personal mail? I haven't gotten something like that in months.

I reach over the counter and am handed an envelope addressed in graceful handwriting. With my curiosity growing by the second, I turn and walk briskly down the hall. "I'll talk to you later, Otto!" I yell.

"Yeah, be sure to let me know who the lucky lady is!" he yells back.

I bring my arm up to my face, making a futile effort to hide the blushing that followed. After walking down a maze of identical white hallways, I reach my office, a spacious room appropriate for a business executive. Swiping my keycard in front of the security lock, I push the door open and make for the sofa in my office. I break the envelope's seal with a single deft movement, holding my breath in anticipation. A letter falls out.

---

_Dear Ulrich,_

_I hope this letter finds you well, but I guess I do not really have any way of knowing for sure, since you never respond to anything I write anymore. I got this address from Odd, who tells me you've just graduated from university, and that you're now doing quite well for yourself. I have graduated too, but it seems like a French university degree is worthless these days, and I am still looking for a job. I just thought, as a friend, I would let you know how I was doing, since apparently your feelings for me have changed since we started university. Anyway, I am coming to Munich for Christmas this year, and I was wondering if you might be interested in getting together for dinner or something. My mobile number is _33-655-255-958. _If you do not have the time, I will understand - you must be very busy with everything going on in your life right now. _

_Yours truly,_

_Yumi_

---

I just sit silently on the sofa, stunned, with nothing penetrating the atmosphere but my own breathing. The caustic undertones of Yumi's letter make me feel like my heart is going to stop beating. Yumi writing to me 'as a friend'? What on earth is going on? She means so much to me! I thought I was more than just 'a friend'! Is she breaking up with me? I sink into the sofa, feeling more and more worthless. Wait a second! She was the one who stopped writing to me months ago! Why is she now acting like she had been trying to keep our relationship together all along? Why is she acting like I am the one who ignored her? As my mind pieces the situation together, I start to think that for some reason, her letters stopped getting through to me, and so I had nothing to respond to! Damn it! Now Yumi thinks I am some sort of jerk and probably wants to break up with me for real! I feel like I am going to break down in tears, but I resist. Regaining some sense of consciousness, I flip the envelope around, and receive another surprise. _This letter was postmarked a month ago!_ What could possibly have taken it so long to get here? With the holidays already in full swing, Yumi must already be in Munich! My mind races, and I squeeze my eyes shut in frustration. My life sucks...

All of a sudden, the phone on my desk starts to ring. After it rings a few times, I come to my senses and leap for it. "Hello, Stern speaking."

"I knew you were in your office. You can't fool me, you little fox," the secretary quipped.

"What is it, Angela?" I reply, unfazed.

"The boss went out this afternoon, and told me to let you know that he needs to meet you at the bar by 8:30 tonight."

"What bar?" I ask, unconciously.

"The one you fellas always use, obviously. Is something wrong, Ulrich?" her tone suddenly becomes one of concern.

"No, everything's fine. I'm gonna to have to leave now, if I want to make it in time."

"Yeah, probably. Bye." she hangs up.

half an hour later

I walk through the streets of Munich, concentrating on the cheerful holiday decorations around me and desperately trying to blink back the tears that threaten to fall from my eyes. If there's one thing in the world I cannot stand doing, it is crying. Walking down a narrow street in the heart of Munich, I come to the bar, and I make a last-ditch effort to regain my composure as I walk through the entrance.

Helmuth, my boss, is sitting by himself at a small table by the wall, staring at the bottle of beer in his hands. Being the stereotypical German, he has an angular face, stolid complexion, and unfeeling eyes. The secretary always says that Helmuth's much more agreeable than I am, since I sulk and grouch so much (I disagree, but that's what she thinks). Plus, he is quite the scholar - he just graduated near the top of his class from the University of Munich. As for me, I just barely passed my exams. And even though we are both 22, he has also done better on the job, having been promoted to an operational chief while I soldier on as a field agent. His dark brown hair is messier than usual, looking as though he had been clawing at it recently. Not a good sign. I seat myself across from him.

"Ulrich, come with me. Let's take a walk," Helmuth says quietly. We get up and he pays the bill at the counter, looking around the bar casually, as if we were being watched. His suspicions satisfied, we stroll out of the bar and down the sidewalk, into the wintry air of Munich. "I was going to wait for you to come into the office to speak to you about this, but something came up, so I called you out here. Listen, Ulrich, we just got a new assignment. Two days ago, French intelligence came across an unidentified piece of a technology. It was found by some demolition workers in the basement of an old Renault factory located on a small island on the Seine..."

What? They found the factory? At least Jeremie took the time to destroy the activation mechanism for the supercalculator after we switched it off. I hope the French were not stupid enough to try and turn it back on. The return of XANA - that would be a disaster. I turn my attention back to Helmuth's impromptu briefing...

"Anyway, French intelligence started moving pieces of this supercomputer back to their technical headquarters in Paris, but one of their convoys, containing what I understand to be vital central processing units, never made it. Their headquarters lost contact with the agents driving the cars shortly after they had left the location of the factory, and within an hour, the shot-up remains of the four cars and their occupants had been discovered, but the reinforced containers holding the samples of the mystery hardware had disappeared." He brought his right hand up to his forehead, as if in frustration.

Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Our sources tell us that the missing hardware is now in the hands of a Russian crime syndicate with motives still unknown. We have reason to believe that within the next week, the stolen pieces of this supercomputer will be transported by road through Germany on its way back to Russia. Our goal, therefore, will be to seize this equipment during the time span when it will be within our borders. It shouldn't be too difficult; we just have to find out where it will be and when, and then we can send in the federal police to pick it up. After that, we can bring it back to our place, where we can get what we need from this supercomputer before giving it back to the French. The big boss should be pleased - this time we will have gone above and beyond his expectations. The French agents must have been sleeping on the job to lose something they keep saying is so important, and we might as well help ourselves before helping them, anyway," he scoffed. "Nothing to worry..."

"Help! Somebody help!...mmph..." Desperate screams interrupt Helmuth's muttering, and after glancing at each other, we both start to sprint in the direction of the shouting. We come to a dimly-lit alley, bordered by ancient and decrepit tenements. Five individuals, engaged in a vicious struggle, were the only people around. Noticing our arrival, the three assailants throw their victims to the ground and charge towards us. One of them throws a punch at me, and I dodge it, retaliating with a swift right hook to his face. I follow up by burying my left fist in his gut, and the guy falls to the ground, wheezing haplessly. Just as I catch my breath, the second assailant swings a knife at me, and it just barely misses. I grab his arm and twist it, causing the man to scream in pain. I seize the knife from his weakened grip and give him a swift kick, propelling him into the street. I look over at Helmuth - he's standing there, panting (he's not really good at close-in fistfights), but he has managed to dispatch the third assailant, who is stumbling across the road alongside his two compatriots, all of them glaring back at us and bent over in pain.

Our attention is diverted to the two victims, who have propped themselves up against the wall in the shadows of the alley. I walk towards them cautiously, Helmuth following behind me. Crouching next to one of them, I venture a question. "Are you all right?"

There is a pause. A pause that is suddenly broken by a strikingly familiar voice.

"Ulrich, is...is that you?"

* * *

Ah, a cliffhanger. Anyone care to take a guess who the 'strikingly familiar voice' belongs to?

I hope you like the story so far. It's the first piece of fiction I've ever written in my life! Please leave a review, and feel free to let me know of any comments or suggestions you might have!


	2. Old Friends

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko. Code Lyoko is the property of Moonscoop/Antefilms. Please do not sue me.

* * *

"INTO THE EYE OF THE STORM" 

Chapter 2: Old Friends

Point of View: Ulrich

Just as I kneel there in that dark Munich alley, time seems to freeze.

The steam of my breath in the frigid temperature of the night is cut off as everything inside of me stops moving. My mind races, as I can't seem to pin a name on the voice. As the still unseen person moves forward and out of the shadows, my eyes widen, and I gasp in surprise.

"Aelita!" I can say nothing else.

"Ulrich, good heavens, it is you!" she leaps forward and traps me with a suffocating embrace.

But suddenly, she detaches herself and looks over in the direction of her hitherto silent companion.

"Jeremie, are you okay!" she rushes over to him. "Say something!"

"Ugh...something..." mutters an incoherent Jeremie.

"Hey Jeremie, everything's gonna be okay." I make an effort to console him, though I'm still reeling from surprise at having met two of my old friends in a Munich alleyway.

"See Jeremie, Ulrich's here with...um...a friend of his. They chased away the robbers!" Aelita jabbers on excitedly.

"Thanks a bunch Ulrich. I was afraid I was going to lose my life a second ago. Those guys were vicious..." Jeremie mutters, having finally come to his senses.

He gets up with Aelita's help, and we make our way out of the alley and down the street. At this point, I decide it might be a good idea to introduce Helmuth.

"Jeremie, Aelita, this is my boss, Helmuth." I interject awkwardly.

Silence follows, as Jeremie and Helmuth stare at each for a few seconds. Helmuth is the first to speak.

"Belpois? How coincidental to meet you in Munich at this time of year! I assume you are on vacation. I hope all is well, and I am mightily sorry about that incident back there..." Helmuth exclaims.

Now I am the confused one. Helmuth and Jeremie know each other? How did this happen?

"Mr. Klausberger! It was certainly very fortuitous that you came around that corner just now! I'm no expert at hand-to-hand combat, and you could probably tell that I'm still working at my desk job with Information Security. I never have time to even make it to the gym! You must have gathered that Ulrich and I were old friends! I would never have expected that he is now working for you! We live in a small world indeed!" Jeremie speaks as if he is addressing a long-lost buddy.

Noticing my apparent confusion, Helmuth turns to me to explain. "You see, Ulrich, your friend Jeremie and I worked together on an assignment not so long ago. He's with the Information Systems Security Service of France."

I raise my eyebrows in astonishment. So that's why they know each other! I must admit, though, it's pretty weird how both Jeremie and I ended up in intelligence work...

"So, Mrs. Belpois, how is life in Paris?" Helmuth inquires.

Whoa! Jeremie and Aelita are married? I really haven't kept up with the times.

"Everything's going well. Jeremie just took a permanent position with the service, and we decided to come on vacation to Munich. Looks like we ended up in the wrong neighborhood, though, seeing as what happened before..." Aelita explains.

"Ah yes, unfortunately, crime has been on the rise in southern Germany. Unemployment has risen to well over twenty-five percent recently." Helmuth hastily explains.

"Well, it looks like we just had some pretty bad luck just now. Helmuth, would you happen to know the best way to get back to the Hilton in the city? That's where we're staying." Ah, trusty old Jeremie. Always thinking about the task at hand.

"Actually, my car is just a few blocks away. I know where the Hilton is, so Ulrich and I can drive you." Helmuth offers.

"Oh dear, we don't want to interrupt your busy schedule, Helmuth. I'm sure we can make our way back on the subway..." Aelita, being the thoughtful one, interjects.

"Don't worry about it. We aren't doing anything now anyway. And besides, it's not safe at night in Munich anymore. Just follow me."

Aelita suddenly turns to me and whispers, "Oh, by the way, Ulrich, we're here on vacation with Yumi and Hiroki. If you don't mind my asking, what's happened between you and Yumi?"

I take a deep breath, as my mind replays what had happened earlier. "Honestly, Aelita, I have no idea. We had tried to stay together, even though I was here in Germany and she was over in France, but I stopped hearing from her, and I guess she just didn't want to be with me anymore..."

Aelita abruptly interrupts me, and I almost jump in surprise. "Ulrich! Didn't you know that you mean more to Yumi than anyone else in her life? I thought you always knew that! She would never leave you for the world! She kept telling me that you left her! She's been very depressed lately..."

Remembering the letter, I try to continue my explanation. "I know, Aelita. I just got a letter today from her. She said that she and I will have to be 'just friends', and that she was coming to Munich for Christmas. I was going to call her up. You have to understand, Aelita! I never left Yumi! I kept trying to stay in touch with her, but I never got any responses in the mail! I don't know what happened..." I grit my teeth, as my emotional defenses near the brink of collapse. Jeremie and Helmuth have walked on ahead of us, thank goodness. I would really hate for them to see me on the verge of tears.

"So you still really want to be with Yumi?" Aelita probes.

I nod my head.

"Oh...in that case, we'll just have to explain to her when we get back." Aelita states in a matter-of-fact tone. "It's very strange, though, how you just lost contact like that. It's like someone or something out there doesn't want you two to be together..."

Wow, Aelita has become very good at consoling people. Maybe things will turn out all right after all. My mind starts to wander, as I try to think how I could patch up things with Yumi.

"Ah, here we are...Ulrich, don't make Mrs. Belpois slow down just for you!" Helmuth calls out ahead. He is standing with Jeremie next to his car, a short distance down the road. I notice that he seems to be a lot less nervous than he was in the bar; I guess he just doesn't see old friends every day.

We reach Helmuth's car, a blue BMW M5. With Jeremie apparently absorbed with admiration for it, we all get in. Looking in the rearview mirror, I see Jeremie examining the upholstery.

"Nice car you have here, Helmuth. How much did it cost you?" Jeremie inquires.

"Nothing at all, thanks to our benevolent agency..."

"Sheesh, you're lucky." Jeremie muses. "How about you, Ulrich? They must treat you well, too."

Being absorbed in my own thoughts, I choose not to answer his question. With the silence becoming a little awkward, Helmuth answers for me.

"Ulrich's got a pretty nice Audi. He's not such a careful driver, though, are you Ulrich?" Helmuth is really testing my patience.

I just stare resolutely out the window, and this time, nobody bothers to break the silence.

---half an hour later---

We pull up in front of the Hilton. Jeremie whispers something to Aelita, prompting her to get out a slip of paper and a pen. She scrawls something on it, and hands it to me.

"The number on top is our room number, the number on the bottom is Yumi and Hiroki's. Be sure to call later. They're at some sort of show right now, but they'll be back soon." Aelita whispers in my ear.

I nod, without anything else to say. I glance in Jeremie's direction, and he just smirks at me.

After thanking Helmuth for the ride, they get out and disappear into the hotel. Helmuth looks at me and raises his eyebrows.

"Girlfriend problems, huh?"

Why do I get the feeling that everybody's in on my relationship with Yumi?

* * *

I hope everybody liked this chapter. I felt that certain aspects of the plot had to be resolved/clarified, and I thought it was nice to bring in some more of the original CL characters.

I had originally intended to do this chapter in a completely different way, but I changed my mind at the last minute, and I'm satisfied with results.

Again, please leave a review and let me know what you think of the story! Any comments whatsoever would be encouraging!

The next chapter will be more dramatic, I promise, and things might really start to get hairy in the fourth chapter. So, both romance and action fans will be satisfied, hopefully! Everything is still in the works, though, and I wouldn't rule out the possibility of me changing my mind…


	3. Unusual Developments

**Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko. Code Lyoko is the property of Moonscoop/Antefilms. Please do not sue me.**

I would like to thank Trillinka for looking over this chapter (as well as the first two) and helping with all the technicalities I would otherwise have missed. Trillinka is an awesome author, and her story Behind Closed Hearts is a real masterpiece. I owe her my utmost gratitude.

* * *

"INTO THE EYE OF THE STORM"  
Chapter 3: Unusual Developments  
Point of View: Ulrich 

I stare out of the car window, stubbornly ignoring my boss. He just heaves a sigh and pulls away from the hotel.

"We need to get back to the office. Information Services will probably have some leads for us to check out soon. You had better drop that attitude of yours, especially when the big boss gets back from Beirut tonight."

Oh brother, the big boss, Dietrich. He might be Helmuth's older brother, and even though I get along well with Helmuth, his brother frightens me like nobody else. I have heard from my colleagues that he specializes in dealing with the 'enemies of the Federal Republic of Germany.' And, from what I have seen on the news channels, these 'enemies' never seem to stay around too long - they always turn up dead in some obscure country in Eastern Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East. For me, that is sufficient justification to find him intimidating.

The piece of paper Aelita gave me is by now crumpled up in my hand. I put it in my coat pocket and take a deep breath, trying to relax.

As I shut my eyes and try to let go of everything, I can hear Helmuth talking on his cell phone.

"Werner, what are you doing right now? ... All right, listen, I need you to take your car to the Hilton in the city. You need to keep an eye out for two people: Jeremie and Aelita Belpois. Get their profiles quick from Information Services. Also, get Technical Surveillance find out which room they are staying in and have all incoming and outgoing calls tracked. They might use their cell phones so have those tracked too. Keep them shadowed until I say otherwise. Do not let anyone see you. All right? ... No, they are not hostiles, but keep your head down. That is all." He hangs up.

"Helmuth, what the hell do you think you're doing?" I ask.

"Don't you find it just a little suspicious that we come across two known French intelligence operatives in a dark alley who look like they were about to be either kidnapped or interrogated by a three thugs who make a run for it as soon as we show up? What are they doing on vacation in Munich, anyway? Remember, the BND is trying to track down some missing hardware that was originally stolen from the French. If the French sent some people over here to recover this computer themselves, or even to look over our shoulders, there is gonna be hell. Do not let your friendship with them cloud your judgment, Ulrich."

"Hey, my friendships are none of your concern! Mind your own business!"

"All right, all right. I was just trying to explain the situation to you. There is no reason to hate me for it. Just please focus on the task at hand."

I do not respond to his attempt at reconciliation. I just want to be alone. As I close my eyes, trying to let off some steam, my cell phone suddenly rings.

"Hello? ... Who is this? ... Jeremie? What is going on? ... That is really strange, is anyone following you? ... All right, I will ask Helmuth to send someone over there now. You guys can stay at my place ... No problem, I will look into what happened. Um, are Yumi and Hiroki with you now? ... Uh, th-thanks. Um, I will talk to her later. Bye."

Helmuth glances over at me with eyebrows raised. I decide to clarify the situation for him.

"Something really strange just happened at the hotel. Jeremie said he and Aelita walked into the lobby, and Yumi and Hiroki were there, fuming about how they could not get into their room. Jeremie and Aelita tried too, but none of their keys worked. And then the hotel front desk said that they had no record of them staying there, or even having a reservation or anything. Uh, I was wondering if it would be okay for Werner to pick them up and bring them to my place. They do not really have anywhere to stay for now, and all their luggage is gone too."

Helmuth's brow furrows in confusion. "That is really, really strange. I am telling you, they are in Munich for something, and they are not telling us the whole story, and now someone is onto them. And you want them to stay at your place?" He looks at me suspiciously.

"Well, uh, we can keep an eye on them better if they are at my apartment," I sputter in an attempt to justify my actions.

"Hmm, that is true. All right, I will call Werner and let him know of the change in plans. I am gonna go back to headquarters and get this operation underway, and you are gonna go back to your apartment and baby-sit your friends. It is not hard to tell that your mind is not exactly on the job right now. When you get there, send Werner back to headquarters. Got it?"

"Yeah."

Helmuth nods in acknowledgment, and he accelerates, the M5 speeding off into the night...

---one hour later---

I swing my Audi into the parking lot of the apartment complex and pull into my spot, right next to another A6 with its driver-side window rolled down. I can see Werner smoking a cigarette in the driver's seat. Stepping out of my car, my breath becomes steam, and a chilly breeze ruffles my hair. The thin layer of snow crunching under my feet, I walk over to Werner's car. His stocky complexion is alert, his short blonde hair shines with hair gel, and he's sporting a slick business suit.

"Hey Ulrich, they are waiting inside. Did the boss have any other instructions for me, or am I free for the rest of the night?"

"You ain't done yet; he wants you back at headquarters," I answer.

He scoffs. "Since when did we become a taxi service?"

"Got a date, Werner? The big boss is coming back tonight from Beirut. Sucks for you."

"Ugh... Dietrich, the one and only? I guess I better call my friend and let her know tonight won't work."

"Haha, I think Dietrich will appreciate your attention to appearance, though."

"Shut up, Ulrich. At least you get babysitting duty. One of them is this Japanese chick. She is really cute, but she seems kinda shy. You should have fun keeping her entertained, getting to know her..."

I can feel my cheeks starting to burn up. I start wringing my hands, and I blink my eyes several times.

"I know who you are talking about. She is my girlfriend, Werner."

His facial expression changes quickly, first to one of utter surprise, then to one of utter glee. He starts smirking uncontrollably.

"So _that_ is why you get babysitting duty. Bye, Ulrich." He says the last sentence with a cheesy seductive tone. Rolling up his window, he starts his car and pulls away. If he had stuck around, I probably would have given him a good beating.

Standing out there in the snow, I try to pull myself together. After a few minutes, I walk through the entrance of the apartment building. Looking over to the lounge area, my heart almost stops.

Sitting on one of the sofas is the one person who means the world to me; sitting there, right before my eyes, is Yumi. Aelita sits by her side, holding her hand and talking to her in earnest. Yumi turns in my direction, and her eyes widen. Aelita, as well as Jeremie and Hiroki, who are sitting nearby, take notice and look in my direction too. I am frozen to the spot, as all four of them stare at me. Aelita whispers something to Yumi, and gives her a slight push. Yumi gets up, still staring at me. Slowly, she walks toward me. I stand absolutely still, watching her. She has not changed much - she still has short hair, and the same all-black attire. Just as she enters the main lobby area, she breaks into a run, the sound of her heels reverberating through the lofty atrium. At the last possible moment, I brace myself and catch her in my arms.

Her momentum almost throws me to the ground, but I manage to stay standing. She has me trapped in an iron grip, her hands wrinkling up the back of my coat. Pulling back, she looks into my eyes.

"I am so sorry Ulrich, I had no idea! Aelita told me everything. Why didn't you just call me? You know I do not mind getting a call from you, no matter how late it is! And both your cell and work phone numbers do not work! You have no idea how frustrated I was!"

I take a deep breath before responding. "I was so depressed, not hearing from you in such a long time. I thought you just did not want to be with me any more, and I was afraid that you had stopped keeping in touch to just be nice about it and not tell it to me personally. So...are we okay now?"

She smiles and catches me in a kiss - short and sweet. After that, we just stand there in each other's arms and stare at each other smiling. For me, things could not have been better. (Aelita must have really said something right, for Yumi to go back to her old self again!) After what seems like hours of just standing there, Hiroki pipes up.

"Hey, Yumi, tell your boyfriend we _certainly_ have all day to sit around the lobby!"

At this point, Yumi lets go of me and turns around. "Hiroki, be quiet! If you are not happy then go outside or something!"

I snicker at Yumi's display of her more hot-headed side before returning to the matters at hand. "Uh, why don't we all go up to my apartment? It is getting kind of late."

"Very good plan there, Ulrich." Jeremie's voice carries a slight tint of sarcasm.

Looking around, I can see that the lobby is empty except for us. I just grin sheepishly and look at the four people now standing before me.

With a nod of my head, I lead my four friends to my apartment.

* * *

I hope everybody enjoyed this chapter. If I'm lucky, I'll have the next chapter finished by the end of this month, but that might be a little optimistic. 

Please leave a review and tell me what you think of it so far!


End file.
